Republicans reject proposal to endorse same-sex civil unions

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Republicans reject proposal to endorse same-sex civil unions

By Peter Hamby, CNN Political Reporter

Tampa, Florida (CNN) – The Republican Party’s platform committee on Tuesday rejected a measure that would have expressed formal support for same-sex civil unions.

The platform committee, tasked with drafting the party’s official list of principles and positions on a range of issues, is meeting in Tampa ahead of next week’s GOP Convention.

Rhode Island delegate Barbara Fenton proposed the amendment. She said that as a 31-year-old, the party’s longtime opposition to legal rights for same-sex couples is increasingly out-of-step with the beliefs of her friends and peers.

“For my own generation, a lot of times homosexuality isn’t the biggest deal in the world anymore, and that’s okay,” Fenton told the 110-member committee and its chairman, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.

Her proposal was seconded by a handful of people in the room — but two leading conservatives on the platform committee, Indiana’s Jim Bopp and Louisiana’s Tony Perkins, sternly argued against it.